List of Motions for the Annual General Meeting of Amnesty International, Sweden, 1996

Working party A (1)

1.1 The debate on the AI mandate
The proposers want translation and distribution to all local groups of the MRC analyses of the mandate criteria, and a leaflet printed with guidelines for active AI members.
Board recommendation: approval.

1.2 Co-ordinator's role and work on condemned criminals
The proposers object to the removal of one particular co-ordinator from a co-group because of his opposition to AI's work on condemned criminals.
Board recommendation: rejection.

1.3 Criteria for Mandate Development
Referring to the seven criteria of Decision 2 of the 1995 ICM the proposers want these criteria to be fulfilled during the Swedish AGM. The board should see to it that the criteria be distributed in English and Swedish to all active AI members.
Board recommendation: approval

1.4 Forcibly repatriated asylum-seekers who risk being tortured again should be granted asylum
All the Swedish AI refugee-coordinators are asking for better follow-up of forcibly repartiated asylum-seekers and for opposition to the practice of Swedish immigration authorities to deport those who have been tortured and risk being so again after their return.
Board recommendation: the board answers that this work is already being done and refers to the adopted guidelines.

1.5 The implementation of AGM decisions
The proposers want a better documentation of the implementation of AGM decisions.
Board recommendation: the board refers to its adopted guidelines and to the annual report which is published before the following year's AGM.

1.6 Incomplete statistics
The proposer points out that statistics presented by AI are often incomplete. Is, for instance, a case closed because the prisoner has been released, or because he/she has served his/her sentence, or because the prisoner has "disappeared" and has never been heard of again etc.? Categories are not mutually exclusive, so you cannot find out the correct number of (possible) prisoners, of releases, of prisoners on death row etc.
The board explains that information is often vague and that numbers would not be reliable. Yet, the Selected Statistics appendix in the AI report and the Facts and Figures documents are published every year.
Board recommendation: rejection.

1.7 New videos
The proposers point out that new video films have to be produced and ask for means and new ideas.
Board recommendation: approval.

1.8 The Swedish section and the trade union network
The proposers want a new approach to and strengthening of the trade union outreach. A report should be presented to the 1998 AGM and delegates sent to the British section for consultation.
Board recommendation: approval.

1.9 The financing of Carlslund's refugee village
The Stockholm AI district has been responsible since 1992 for the financing of AI contacts with Carlslund's refugee village. The proposers want allocation of section means for this
task.
The board refrains from commenting referring to its proposition for membership fees.

1.10 Board proposition: Mandate amendment in accordance with the 1995 ICM decision 3
The board proposes that Article 1 of the Swedish AI statute be translated in accordance with the 1995 ICM decision 3.

1.11 Environmental activists considered mentally ill
The proposer wants the Swedish AI section to oppose to the practice of some industrialists who consider environmental activists to be mentally ill.
Board recommendation: rejection as this problem is none of AI's concern.


Working party B (2)

2:1 Work on the death penalty
The proposers want the Swedish section to work internationally for death penalty cases (in the USA as well as in other countries) to be allocated as soon as possible to local groups.
Board recommendation: approval.

2:2 Young people's attitude towards the death penalty
The proposer pointe out that an increasing amount of young people support the d.p. Human rights education, particularly on the destructive effect of the d.p. on individuals and the society, should be aimed at young people in schools and colleges.
Board comments: much work is already being done, but more could be done.
Board recommendation: approval.

2:3 Follow-up of urgent actions
Torture victims who have been taken up as UAs need help also after their release. The proposers want the Swedish section to work internationally for such cases to be allocated to local groups for work on their own responsibility, when there is an address available either to the victim or to any well known national organization. Start with an experimental period for the development of guidelines and fresh ideas.
Board recommmendation: approval.

2:4 Junior Urgent Action
Junior Urgent Action, a technique to be used by children between 8 and 12, should be made better known to Swedish AI members. Young children should be helped by elders to appeal for street children, for instance, in many countries.
Board recommendation: approval.

2:5 About addresses
The proposers want more addresses to lower officials and permission to write to addressees of their own choice.
Board comments: In many cases the IS has given more addresses than are distributed, if the local groups are not big enough. Ask for those addresses! Find addresses of your own and have them approved by the Swedish AI secretariat!

2:6 Family membership
The proposer wants the Swedish section to allow family membership in order to reduce the amount of paper.
Board comments: Being an AI member is a personal responsibility. Let the secretariat know which documents could be excluded!

2:7 Widen the AGM debates
The proposers want the AGM debates to deal more with ICM resolutions. The most important ones should be translated for the members so that they can make their views known in order to guide the ICM delegates.
Board recommendation: approval.

2:8 Re the Swedish AI Action Plan
The proposers want the Swedish AI Action Plan to be less "decreelike" in order to stimulate discussions on aims and means. Local groups should be allowed to concentrate on certain aspects owing to local capacity.
The board refrains from commenting referring to the AGM workshop on the 1996-2000 Action Plan.

2:9 Re the Prisoners of the Month Campaign
According to the proposers the postage for the distribution of the Prisoners of the Month Campaign (in Swedish called 'Kortkampanjen') to some 3 000 subscribers is too high. It would be more effective to insert ads in a great daily newspaper: governments are sensitive to foreign attitudes and Swedish newspaper readers would be aware of AI's work.
Board comments: Ads would cost much more, but local groups and individual subscribers could establish contacts with local papers for regular information and action.
Board recommendation: rejection.

2.10 Re year of birth for youth members
For the sake of evaluation the young proposers want the year of birth to be given for members of specific youth groups.
Board recommendation: approval.

2:11 Board proposition: 'Kortkampanjen' and 'Pådraget'
At the 1994 AGM it was decided that the 'Kortkampanj' cases (see 2:9 above) be chosen from the specifically Swedish appeals technique, called 'Pådraget', not from the international Prisoners of the Month Campaign. This decision has turned out not to be a good one.
The board therefore proposes cancellation of the decision and a review of the activity.

2:12 Board proposition: The section's youth groups
After a review of the activities by the section's youth groups the board proposes that these groups stand by themselves but be registered with the section. They should not be allocated long term assignments (such as Action Files and RAN cases). The youth groups should be made up of 13 to 20 year-olds, particularly in schools and colleges.
The board proposes a recruiting campaign for autumn 1997, membership fees fixed to 500 SEK for 1997 and an amendment of the section statute.

2:13 A fiery cross for women
The proposer wants particularly women to engage in AI, as many women are unemployed and AI work is a means to exert power, to counteract subversive tendences in the society and to stand up for values enshrined in Agenda 21.
The board refrains for commenting.


Working party C (3)

3:1 A more effective information activity in "white spots"
As there are "white spots" throughout the country where no AI groups are active, the proposers want a bus to be bought for an information campaign.
The board is positive and suggests a summer tour for "white spots" from north to south.

3:2 The section SG's time of office
The proposer wants the section secretary general to be elected by the AGM and his/her time of office set to two years.
Board recommendation: rejection (for both principal and practical reasons).

3:3 District boards and re-organization
The proposer wants a thorough decentralization of AI work in Sweden with district boards and a re-organization of the administration.
The board is positive to the idea of decentralization but holds that it is up to the different districts to decide on this matter.
Board recommendation: rejection.

3.4 Reduction of annual group fee
The proposer points out that many groups have difficulties in paying the annual fee and suggests a reduction of the fee. Groups without economic problems should contribute to the economy of their respective districts.
The board refrains from commenting referring to its proposition on the strengthening of districts and groups (see 3:10).

3:5 Stronger districts
Two proposers want activities to be decentralized to the districts and specific qualifications to be made use of. Group fees should be paid to the districts not to the section. Adjacent districts should consult each other for a review of the grouping of districts. The statute should be amended accordingly.
The board is on the whole positive and refers to its proposition on the strengthening of districts and groups (see 3:10).

3:6 Strengthening of districts and reallocation of group fees
Participants in a workshop on AI's future want part of the group fees to be paid to the districts in order to strengthen their role and facilitate greater flexibility.
The board refrains from commenting referring to its proposition on the strengthening of districts and groups (see 3:10).

3:7 Group fees
The proposers point out that although the number of subscribers to the organization increases, a lot of local groups close down (in 1986 there were 335 groups, in Febr. 1996: 286 groups, 15% fewer active groups than in 1956). One reason is the group fee.
The board refrains from commenting referring to its proposition on the strengthening of districts and groups (see 3:10).

3:8 The number of local groups
Two proposers want the board to quickly analyse the reason why groups close down, to make efforts for new groups to start and to appoint some members who would propose the best ways of supporting groups with problems.
Board recommendation: approval.

3:9 Cancel the group fee
The proposers want the group fee to be cancelled.
The board refrains from commenting referring to its proposition on the strengthening of districts and groups (see 3:10).

3:10 Board proposition on the strengthening of districts and groups
On the basis of the reasons given above the board proposes
1. cancellation of the group fee;
2. a low registration fee for new groups;
3. a district fee to be paid to the section based on the number of inhabitants in the district,
4. a group fee to be paid to the district, the amount decided on at a district meeting;
5. amendment of statute articles accordingly.

3:11 Board proposition: AGM fee to be part of annual group fee
The proposers want the individual fee paid by participants of an AGM to be included in the group fee, for the sake of democracy.
The board refers to its proposition on the strengthening of districts and groups (see 3:10).


Working party D (4)

4:1 The distinctive character of Amnesty International
The proposers point out that there are a great many international human rights organizations many of which carry on i.a. lobbying. Only one of these organizations has a membership consisting of activists working with publicity and sending appeals to authorities in order to influence the treatment of individuals as well as having an effect on general practice. That is Amnesty International. Lobbying is already a technique used by AI, but the result has been a decreasing number of active local groups and active members as a whole. This development must be stopped.
The proposers want
1. AI to stand up in defence of its unique methods by putting the stress on membership activity;
2. AI to produce and give priority to activist material;
3. elected representatives (not employees) to be in the majority at government and embassy visits;
4. official statements addressed to authorities and international or intergovernmental organizations to be signed by the chair of the board, not by the secretary general on the international as well as on the national level;
5. the foremost duty of all the employees to make possible and facilitate the activities of the active members;
6. the posts aimed solely at lobbying to be abolished and the tasks transmitted to voluntary staff and elected representatives. That would mean i.a. that lobbying be moved from the bureaucracy in Brussels back to the separate member AI countries and their representatives;
7. the IEC and the national AI boards to see to it that these amendments be implemented.
The Board is positive to the essence of the motion, particularly items 1 and 2, but points out that the Swedish section is already working along these lines. As far as lobbying is concerned intermediate structures are more involved now than earlier. A difficulty is the short notice. When possible the co-ordinator is always present at embassy visits. In accordance with the Swedish AI section's rules of procedure, adopted in December 1995, it is the SG who is responsible for outward activities. Official statements on behalf of the section are made by members of the board, the SG and the press officer or by a person appointed by any of them.
Board recommendation: Items 1 and 2: approval. Items 3, 4, 5 and 6 rejection. The board shares the proposers' opinion that it should stand up internationally in defence of AI's distinctive character of being an activist organization.

4:2 Two or more tasks in conflict
The proposers point out that members who have been entrusted with two or more tasks have been excluded from some meetings as their tasks have been considered to be conflicting. The proposers want the board to state which tasks are incompatible and to see to it that the stipulation be entered into the Swedish AI statute.
Board comments: The proposition will be dealt with. No further recommendation.

4:3 A POC Day Weekend
(In Sweden the AI section arranged a special POC weekend on Dec. 8-10 1995 in co-operation with the general post office. 13 499 new members and 2.4 million SEK.) The proposers of the motion want this arrangement to become permanent.
Board recommendation: rejection, as there are already many special AI days.

4:4 Board proposition: Board members' terms of office
The proposers want terms of office laid down for board members and other leading figures.
Board recommendation: approval.

4:5 Board proposition: Amendment of some articles of the Swedish AI statute
concerning time of payment of individual member fee and
election of chair person.

4:6 Board proposition: Support for the nominating committee
In order to find the right persons for the board it is necessary that groups and districts help the nominating committee to find members who have the competence suitable for tasks ahead.

4:7 Board proposition: Instructions for a national Financial Control Committee
The creation of an FCC was decided on during the 1995 AGM. Ten items proposed.

4:8 An international committee
The proposer wants a permanent international committee to be created (elected by the AGM), in order i.a. to help the board penetrate AI documents and assist in the election of ICM delegates.
The board refrains from commenting.

4:9 Board proposition: Continued sponsoring
As the sponsoring experiment in 1995 was successful (see 4:3 above) with no negative effects, the board proposes continued sponsoring along the guidelines fixed by the board in 1992.

Asylum-seekers
Two more late motions appeared where the proposers want the Swedish AI section to be more active in the cases of asylum-seekers. The Swedish immigration authorities are getting more and more restrictive, not taking into account risks that forcibly repatriated asylum-seekers can reasonably be expected to run.

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Skapat av : Sven Bodin	Index: ORG 50/002/1996	Kategori: Organisation - Årsmöten - Inför
Ändrat: 98-01-05	År: 1996	Status: Medlem

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